Mention that you’re looking at a pro golf career, and most people would assume that you fancied yourself in line to become the next Tiger Woods. What many people don’t know is that golf, a $76 billion worldwide industry, offers a vast range of job opportunities covering, at last PGA count, more than 2 million jobs. For those who have a formal education in golf, the potential for a professional career can open many opportunities.

There are more than 18,000 golf courses spread out across the country, and thousands of other businesses that are affiliated with the noble sport. These include manufacturers of equipment, training centers, coaches, event management companies that organize tournaments, retailers, including repairs of equipment. Add to these the huge number of opportunities in hotels and resorts that frequently partner with reputed tournament organizers, and you begin to see the endless opportunity for individuals who have a sound education in the sport.

Here’s just a run down of just some of the ways you can carve out a career for yourself.

Golf professionals are the most visible individuals in the sport. If you have a love for it that extends beyond following a player on the green, and cheering every time he makes the perfect shot, this could be the career for you. The road to becoming a professional player is long and tedious with most sportsmen beginning as assistants and working their way to the top of the game. It goes without saying that a love for the game must be combined with a high magnitude of skill.

Even experienced professionals at the top know that the game isn’t just about caddies and Golf Carts, but is a business that is run as such. There would be no golf without the well oiled machinery of marketing professionals working furiously behind the scenes to attract customers to the resorts. A basic college education in marketing, and experience organizing high profile events could have you moving into the field of promotion of tournaments.

The game offers plenty of opportunity for a professional job for those with an eye for designing the perfect engineering plan. Golf Courses are almost celebrities in their own right, with the most beautifully designed greens attracting the most prestigious tournaments.

There is a reason why those endless expanses of green look the way they do. There is an entire grounds maintenance crew headed by a superintendent, which is responsible for maintaining the landscaping. There is an especially huge demand for people who are trained in eco friendly methods of landscape maintenance.

Like every good business, successful golf resorts are always in need of professional managers to look over operations.

Event management professionals who have an eye for planning corporate events, and marketing gurus who are looking for ways to brand their companies are also hugely in demand in the industry.

Because of the unique nuances of the industry, individuals with a strong education in the sport who not only get the sport, but are also familiar with the various kinds of facilities and other aspects of the business, are much in demand. Persons with an education in the field will find their skills and expertise to be highly in demand in tournament planning companies, travel companies, equipment companies, publishers of literature, golf associations, and a host of other companies that require people who not only have a passion for the game, but also the education to round off that passion.

A professional golf education can familiarize a novice with the various aspects of the sport, and give a more experienced player the business knowledge that he needs to round out his skills. In the past, pro golf careers did not demand a specific education, but these days, with cut throat competition in the field, golf related businesses are beginning to depend on individuals who come to the job with no need for additional training. It only makes sense right?

You don’t have to have a zero handicap to make a pro golf career for yourself, but you can augment your working knowledge of golf with professional education to create a career in the field that is lucrative and satisfying.

Andy West

Are you looking for golf bags at discount prices? Browse the internet for the best deals As a keen golfer, you should be constantly on the lookout for suppliers of top quality equipment like golf bags, at discounted prices. With more and more manufacturers competing for your money, you’re in a great position to hunt down the best bargains. And there is no better place to do it than online.

The benefits of buying golf bags online Golf bags can be expensive and cumbersome items to purchase from a regular store. The prices are likely to be at the normal retail price, there may not be a very wide range available in the shop, and you will have to carry it back to your car. So not only will you be paying top price, but you may be limiting your choice too. And if you do decide to shop around, you could spend hours walking round different golf stores looking for the perfect golf bag. So why not shun the malls and go online to buy your Golf Bags instead? The advantages include: Lower Prices for Golf Bags Because online stores don’t have the same overheads as a shop, they are able to offer much cheaper prices ” especially on expensive items like golf bags. If you spend a bit of time browsing the world wide web you can find some fantastic golfing bargains, and could pick up a designer golf bag at an impressive discount.

Wider Choice of Golf Bags The internet is ideal for tracking down hard-to-find golf bags, clubs, clothing and other equipment. If you’ve seen your favourite player using a certain putter, you can simply enter it into a search engine and shop from one of the many online stores that will come up in the results. Likewise if you’ve seen a limited edition golf bag in a magazine, you can soon find it with the help of the net. Even for standard equipment you will have a vast array of products at your finger tips ” and you won’t have to trudge for miles to track them down as you would in the shops. Greater Convenience for Golf Bag Shopping Why walk round the shops when you could sit down with a coffee, and browse the internet for your dream golf bag at your leisure? You won’t be restricted by opening hours, and can spend as long as you like searching through your favorite golf bag brands for the best bargains.

Then, when you have found a golf bag that you want to buy, you can make your order within a few clicks. Most online stores have a secure payment system so you can rest assured that your credit card details are safe. And the best part of shopping online for golf bags? Your product will arrive on your doorstep without you having to lift a finger to carry it back to your home or car from the stores. If you want to buy a new golf bag for yourself or your golfing partner, friend or family member, why not log on to the internet now and find out why so many people are taking advantage of the convenience of online shopping?

Bill Wright

A Guide To Golf Putters

The Putter is unquestionably one of the most important golf clubs used in the sport – a putter can quite literally make or brake the result for a player. It is therefore imperative to select the right putter to suit a player’s game.

A golf putter is without question the most individual of all Golf Clubs, produced in a variety of styles and sizes to meet the requirements and expectations unique to a players own preference. There are many factors to take into consider when purchasing a new golf putter – the following points are intended to provide a brief overview of the key features to be aware of…

The head of the putter and its construction should be considered on how it relates to a players game. If you are beginner to the sport a heavier weighted putter that provides a greater degree of power behind the shot and will also facilitate a smoother delivery. There are three types of putter head most commonly found on today’s range of golf putters, these include: blade, peripheral weighted and mallet.

Blade Putters

The oldest and most traditional type of putter head is the blade. Typically a much smaller head compared to contemporary styles. The blade head offers a large degree of confidence to the player – whilst the soft hit produced from this type of putter will suit a majority of greens – especially the faster ones. This type of putter head suits a straight putting stroke.

Peripheral Weighted Putters

Also recognised as the heel-toe weighted putter. A popular choice amongst professional and a small following of amateur players. The peripheral weight putter head is typically larger than a blade putter and is therefore not face balanced; this type of putter is best suited to players with an in-out stroke type.

Mallet Putters

The first true alternative to a blade headed putter, the mallet putter is both larger and heavier – resembling a fairway wood than a traditional putter. This type of design allows for a lower and deeper positioned centre of gravity that is located towards the heel of the putter head to reduce the degree of backspin. An insert is commonly placed on to the face of the putter to induce a soft hit from a large headed putter – this type of putter is traditionally face-balanced and therefore suits a player with a straight-through and back stroke of play.

The face of the putter is equally important and ensures that golf ball rolls optimally and accurately when struck. Milled faces are commonly used on today’s range of putters and aim to give the player the perfect putting surface. Depending on the preference of the player an insert-faced putter will produce a softer and firmer feel when struck, whilst anti-skid faced putters – a recent innovation in putter design, promises to reduce excessive friction to deliver fast and accurate shots.

If you’re in the market for a new putter or merely contemplating the possibility of taking-up the sport – the Internet provides the richest source of articles, reviews and products on golf putters and Golf Equipment in general. For the lowest guaranteed prices online search for retailers offering factory direct golf equipment – The Sports HQ for example supplies golf equipment direct from popular brands like Confidence, Prosimmon Golf, Texan Classics, Chicago Golf and Forgan of St. Andrews – in addition to clearance sale promotions on top-brands like Odyssey Golf – the number 1 brand for golf putters.

The Sports HQ

When you decide you want to learn the game of golf, there are lots of golf basics you need to know about at the start. But where do you begin if you are a complete newbie? Well, there are various resources on-line the Internet to help you with your golf basics.

Golfing Tips For Beginners

The golfing beginner can start by reading some free golf tips on the Internet. Golf Tips For Beginners is a growing resource that you can visit to learn about every facet of the game. The website has articles and links to particular golf sections for additional information. Two useful resources that you will find are links to a golf review blog and free golf tips videos.

The Basic Golf Tips

Basic Golf Tips articles can be found that cover the stuff you need to know about to get started. At the moment, there are 8 articles covering the basics; beginning with the scoring system, and continuing with choosing the right golf equipment, the different types of golf shots, and golf rules and etiquette.

Golf Resources

There are some carefully chosen golf resources at the golf tips for beginners’ page. You will find PDF eBooks specially written for the beginner golfer, the senior golfer and the woman golfer. Also, links to the best golf balls and Golf Clubs for beginners.

Golf Gear

You will clearly need some golf equipment to start playing golf. The fundamental items are a golf club set, a golf bag, tees, and balls. However, you don’t essentially need to purchase these at first; you can rent them out from most golf courses. But, if you are serious about taking up the game, then investing in a good set of clubs, balls and a Golf Bag is elemental.

If you take the decision to invest in Golf Equipment you will find that there are hundreds of options. Most of the top brand name golf manufacturers spend millions trying to get you to buy their equipment. But don’t rush out and spend thousands of dollars on golf clubs that might not help your game.

Preferably, start off with a good set of golf clubs that are designed with the beginner in mind. Sometimes, they are called game improving clubs and they are designed to be more forgiving to miss-hits. You can have them tailor made for your physical size and swing speed by customizing the clubs with the correct shaft type and flex.

So, for your golf education, check out what the golf tips for beginners website has to offer. There will be more articles coming and more golf reviews added to the blog to help you figure out what products are right for you.

Mick Euan Tait

Buying Cheap Complete Golf Sets

Buying a golf set is not only a very daunting task – it can be very expensive as well. It is probably the biggest outlay you will make on your game, with the possible exception of a golf membership.

In this article I’ll look at a few of the best ways you can go about finding yourself a cheap complete golf set.

Where To Find Cheap Complete Golf Sets

The Internet

The internet takes much of the hassle out of buying Golf Equipment, and finding a cheap golf set is no exception. Before talking about the various options I would make a quick note – even if you buy your golf set online, always make an effort to take it for a test drive first. This can save you wasting your money on a bad buy.

Online Superstores

The online retailers are going to be one of your best options for finding a cheap complete golf set. They have low overheads and buy in bulk so their prices are going to be quite low.

Some of the best retailers include The Golf Warehouse, Rock Bottom Golf, Global Golf, & Edwin Watts Golf. Two things I would recommend you do are

1. Regularly check the closeout/clearance section of the website

2. Sign up to some mailing lists.

By using these two strategies you will give yourself a much better chance of finding that cheap golf set you are after.

eBay

Last time I checked there were over 180,000 results when I typed in the term golf – so there is rarely any problem finding something you need.

There are a few things I would always recommend you do before making a purchase from anyone on eBay

· Always check the reputation of the vendor

· Make sure there are photos of every item in the set.

· If the set is brand new, and the deal seems too good to be true – it probably is. Use your common sense, do your research, contact the vendor, and be willing to ditch the auction if things don’t seem right.

Component Manufacturers

Buying from component club makers is without a doubt one of my favourite ways to pick up a cheap complete golf set. If you have never considered them before I would say now is as good a time as any.

These manufacturers will make you a set of Golf Clubs that are custom made to your requirements, they will use quality materials, and they will charge you a fraction of the brand name manufacturers. What more do you want?

Clone Manufacturers

Clone club makers imitate the designs of the big brand equipment. There is a lot of confusion about the quality of clone clubs. Many people are of the belief that all clones are poorly made using inferior materials and should be avoided all together.

I wouldn’t go that far, but I would say you need to do your research. I have a simple strategy I recommend when considering purchasing clone equipment.

Only by from manufacturers who

a) Will custom fit the clubs for you

b) Will give you a trial period where you can use the equipment, and return it for a full refund if you are in any way unhappy.

By finding manufacturers who offer these features, you can guarantee that you are buying from a club maker who believes in their product, and are willing to back that up with their actions.

Buying a cheap complete golf set, does not have to mean sacrificing on quality. By taking your time and assessing all the options available to you, you should have no trouble finding a good sets of clubs that fit within your budget.

Craig Crooks
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/buying-cheap-complete-golf-sets-692541.html